Updated 2015 2800 US HWY 281 North San Antonio TX 78212 1
Table of Contents Title page..1 Table of Contents...2 Foreword...3 1. Service Availability...4 2. Counter Services. 4 3. Utility Service Agreements 10 4. General Construction Permits..11 Appendix 13 2
Foreword As a developer customer (engineer, contractor, land developer, or owner) involved in the development of residential or commercial property, the question arises, How do I get new water/sewer services? This guide was developed to assist in answering this question. It is intended to help both SAWS and the developer customer streamline this process together. To simplify the wide extent of different services we offer here at SAWS Infrastructure Planning Department, this guide outlines the following: 1. Service Availability Letters 2. Counter Services permits (connection permits) 3. Utility Service Agreements (USAs) 4. General Construction Permits (GCPs) 1. Service Availability Letters are optional and can be requested by the developer customer in order to gain a clearer understanding of what SAWS infrastructure is near your property and the impact fees that may apply. 2. Counter service permits are typically issued for individual residential and commercial service installations as well as short main extensions. In some cases, depending on location, tract size and complexity of the installation, USAs may be necessary 3. Utility Service Agreements (USAs) are agreements between SAWS and a developer customer whereby the customer obtains water or sewer service for development of a specific tract or project. USAs are more typically required of larger development based on criteria set forth by SAWS. This agreement serves as a mechanism for SAWS to gain needed infrastructure and for the customer to reserve capacity to support their development. 4. General Construction Permits are issued for projects that are usually larger and more complex by nature. They typically include USAs, large public main extensions, new subdivisions, and city platting requirements. 3
1. Service Availability Letter If a developer customer would like to know what water and sewer mains are near their tract, a service availability letter may be requested. The request should include Complete contact information (to include email address if available) A detailed map of the location (a copy of a Mapsco map page with tract boundaries clearly and accurately outlined is an acceptable option) The request should be submitted to SAWS via one of the following methods: Email (preferred) serviceavailability@saws.org Mail: San Antonio Water System Attn: Service Availability Representative P.O. Box 2449 San Antonio, TX 78298 Counter Services You may deliver your request in person at SAWS Counter Services, where you may also request maps of existing pipe locations. We are located on the 2 nd floor of SAWS Headquarters, Customer Care Building, Tower 2 located at 2800 U.S. Hwy 281 North (Map is available in appendix). 2. Counter Services There are 3 key types of services provided by Counter Services, also known as Mains and Services 2.1 Impact Fee Statement (also known as a deferred permit) (A majority of impact fee statements are requested by builders for homes with pre-installed meter boxes. However new installations for homes or businesses requiring permits typically involve impact fee statements) 2.2 Single family Residential Counter Permit (Permits the installation of services to individual residential property; applicants typically are the home owner or their contractor) 2.3 Commercial Counter Permits (Permits the installation of mains and services to commercial property; usually the applicants are engineers, contractors, developer, or property owner) 4
2.1 Impact Fee Statements Impact fee statements are issued upon request. Payment of impact fees is required before a counter permit is issued to install new services. If services are pre-installed through a GCP for a subdivision or other project, the installation of meters will be withheld until impact fees are paid in full. For a Home builder/developer seeking services as a subdivision with a general construction permit, the process will different. All impact fee statements must be requested via email from: cs-general@saws.org Statements may be withheld if we are missing the following items: -Bexar County Subdivision Plat -City of San Antonio or CPS Address Plat -Field Acceptance Certificate If missing, please email these to: addresses@saws.org Once impact fee statements have been paid please email System Control for the meter set at: cs-systemcontrol@saws.org Full-sized copy in appendix This form can be obtained from csgeneral@saws.org it must be used for all impact fee statement requests Bexar County Subdivision Plat Address Plat or other verification Field Acceptance Letter 5
2.2 Single Family Residential Permit If a water meter already exists on your property please call customer service at 210-704-SAWS (7297) to change the monthly billing. If you are a homeowner hooking up water and/or sewer for the first time, THE FIRST STEP IS TO HIRE A SAWS INSURED THIRD PARTY CONTRACTOR. They are found on the following list: http://www.saws.org/business_center/developer/plumbers/ These contractors meet the minimum insurance requirements needed to install mains and services. They do not work directly for SAWS. It is recommended that you call enough contractors until you find the level of cost and service desired for your new service installation. AS A HOMEOWNER YOU WILL PAY AN IMPACT FEE TO SAWS FOR EVERY CONNECTION AS WELL AS INDEPENDENTLY PAY THE INSURED CONTRACTOR. Applicants must submit the counter service application form shown here: Along with this form, the following attachments must be included: 1. Water well/ Customer Agreement 2. Subdivision plat (or Certificate of Determination) 3. Address plat (or other address verification) 4. (If applicable, USA, TXDOT ROW, and Easement submittals) a. For information regarding USAs, please see section 3 and the appendix b. For TXDOT please see the appendix c. For Easement submittal please see the appendix http://www.saws.org/business_center/developer/plumbers/ For single family residential projects SAWS block maps should be submitted instead of engineering plans. (These are available at the counter, or through cs-general@saws.org) Full-sized copy in appendix Once the service line is in private property and past the customer shut valve (or sewer cleanout), it will be in private property. SAWS does not own or keep track of any services on private property. Any licensed plumber can work on private plumbing, and this will be subject to the City of San Antonio Unified Development Code, (contains the International Plumbing Code.) 2.3 Commercial Counter Permits Commercial Counter permits are divided into two main steps: 6
2.3.1. Cursory Review Submittal 2.3.2. Complete Standard Counter Permit Submittal 2.3.1. The cursory review is a service offered by SAWS primarily to help developer engineers with proactive planning and early identification of potential issues related to the project. This service allows the engineer to get their plans reviewed weeks to months before the intended date of the construction work. At a minimum the cursory submittal should include information about the applicant (engineer, utility contractor, general contractor, or owner) and the address. If the address is unknown at the time of the cursory review submittal, then information pinpointing the location of the property to receive service should be provided. 2.3.2. The complete standard permit application must be turned in by a SAWS authorized contractor. These contractors can be found here: http://www.saws.org/business_center/developer/plumbers/ As with residential permits, applicants for commercial permits must submit the counter service application form shown here: Along with this form, the following attachments must be included: 1. Water well/ Customer Agreement 2. Subdivision plat (or Certificate of Determination) 3. Address plat (or other address verification) 4. (If applicable, USA, TXDOT ROW, and Easement submittals) a. For information regarding USAs, please see section 3 and the appendix b. For TXDOT please see the appendix c. For Easement submittal please see the appendix Full-sized copy in appendix For all commercial projects, Utility Drawings stamped by a professional Engineer must be included. 7
Bexar County Subdivision Plat Water Well/Customer Service Agreement Address Plat 8
Engineering Drawings Minimum Submittal (required of commercial counter permits) All of the following items will be required when submitting engineering drawings for standard commercial counter Permits: 1. Add and call out streets and/or nearest approximate distance to intersection 2. Meters in private property must follow SAWS easement requirements and be recorded with volume/page 3. Scale, Area/Site map, and north arrow must be included 4. All property lines must be shown 5. Trench details may be requested on any sewer mains/laterals 6. Point of entry measurement for all services 7. Legal descriptions of property 8. Front property line measurement to services 9. Measurement of main from property line 10. Real address must be shown on the title block 11. Plat number must be shown on the drawings 12. All easements must be listed by volume and page 13. All SAWS detail numbers must be displayed on the drawings 14. Blow up details must occur on any area with 2 or more connections 15. All fittings and services must be called out 16. All service lines 4 inches or larger must be DI unless approved by SAWS infrastructure engineers 17. All sewer inverts and slopes must be called out 18. Cleanouts must be placed on property borders for maintenance liability purposes. 19. All vaults must be 1 foot inside property lines. If ESMT exists then vault must be 1 foot outside the ESMT on property. 20. Water, sewer, and Recycle services measurement must come from existing public fire hydrants or property lines. 21. Sewer measurements must come from property lines or manholes. 22. No size on size taps. 23. All large domestic services may require single or double valves on water main depending on existing valves shown on water map. 24. Any service installation must comply with USR construction specifications. 25. Job # s must be included on all SAWS owned water and sewer mains. 26. Pressure reducing valves must be included on all fixtures with 80 psi of static pressure and up. 27. All plans must comply with existing Utility Service Agreements 28. All plans must comply with the Utility Service Regulations. 9
3. Utility Service Agreements (USA) There are many factors specific to each individual tract and USA request but in the simplest terms the USA process involves: Calculating the needs of the tract and how to properly connect SAWS infrastructure Drafting the USA document Technical Review of the USA by SAWS Infrastructure Planning. Review of the USA by SAWS Legal Department. Revision of the USA based on input from Master Planning and Legal departments. Issue of a Draft USA to the consulting engineer for review. Approval of USA by SAWS Board of Trustees, if required, Developer s notarized signature of final USA. SAWS notarized signature/execution of the USA. Signed, executed USA filed and marked complete. 3.1 Submitting a request for a USA If the tract requires a USA, then the consulting engineer shall assemble all of the items listed under Minimum Submittal Requirements to Request a USA as stated on page 14 of this guide. The consulting engineer should then submit that package as a USA Request to SAWS via one of the following methods: Email: Samuel.johnsonjr@saws.org, or Timothy.ybarrajr@saws.org, or Matthew.hinkson@saws.org Mail: San Antonio Water System Attn: USA Requests PO Box 2449 San Antonio, TX 78298 Visit Counter Services: Located on 2 nd floor of SAWS Headquarters, Customer Service Building, Tower 2 located at 2800 U.S. Hwy 281 North. (Map to SAWS, Customer Service Building located in appendix). 3.2 Complete, Approve, and Review of Utility service Agreement 10
After SAWS and the consulting engineer/developer reach agreement on the proposed infrastructure in the Draft USA, we will issue the Final version of the USA, in duplicate originals, to the consulting Engineer for the Developer to sign and notarize both originals. The Consulting Engineer shall then return both signed and notarized originals to SAWS for SAWS to sign, notarize, and execute the documents. This process takes approximately 10 days from the time the signed originals are received by SAWS until the USA signed/executed by SAWS. The duplicate original of the signed, executed USA is returned to the developer. Depending on the completeness and complexity of your original USA request, number of changes to infrastructure requirements, and whether or not Board approval is required, the processing time for a USA is usually 30 to 90 days. 4. General Construction Permits 4.1 Submitting Engineering Plans For those who have tracts that require a USA and have submitted a USA Request the next steps for submitting plans in order to receive a GCP: -After consulting engineer/developer and SAWS agree on the infrastructure required by SAWS, provide detailed Engineering plans to SAWS for entry review and entry into the plats and plans database. -Include copy of the Draft USA with agreed upon infrastructure requirements with your plans. -In addition to the agreed upon Draft USA, the plans submittal package shall contain hard copies of: (Continued on the next page) Cover Sheet clearly stating plats & Plans package and the Project Name Plat, 5 plats for minor, 7 plats for major (no preliminary or handwritten ID numbers will be accepted SAWS Application for Subdivision Plat Review 1 copy Completeness Review for L.O.C. 1 copy Utility Service Agreement (Draft is acceptable) 1 copy (3 copies for major Plats) Utility Layout 2 copies Master Plan 2 copies Water Plans 3 copies Sewer plans 3 copies Water Cost Estimate 2 copies Sewer Cost Estimate 2 copies Equivalent Dwelling Units (EDU s) Calculations 1 copy Water Well letter (signed & sealed by Engineer) 1 copy SAWS Aquifer Protection approval or copy of category letter (if applicable) 1 copy Purveyor Letter (if applicable) Septic letter (if applicable) 1 copy Local Sewer Authority (if Applicable) -1 copy 11
No Flow Letter (if applicable) 1 copy Private Sewer System Letter (if Applicable) All Exhibits must be 24 x 36 folded, not rolled (CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE ) Provide duplicate CD s containing plans and USA in digital format Plans must be in DGN or DWG format. USA document must be in PDF format Submit USA Request package at Counter Services located on 2 nd floor, Tower 2 Category letter form Aquifer protection (if applicable) If you have questions about Plats and Plans submittal requirements please contact: -SAWS Development Engineering Department at (210) 233-2009 and ask for Plat & Plans review or; -Visit Counter Services located on the 2 nd flow of the Customer Service Building Tower 2 at SAWS headquarters. Plats & Plans will not accept requirements for plats/plans review until SAWS and the consulting engineer/developer have agreed on the infrastructure requirements provided by SAWS in the USA. 4.2 Release of General Construction Permit or Tri-Lateral Contract Once your Plats & Plans package is reviewed, SAWS will send back redline which specify needed revisions before you resubmit them for final review. The General Construction Permit (or Tri-Lateral Contract if over sizing is involved) will be released and construction on the tract can begin only after signature and execution of the USA by SAWS, and approval of the Plats & Plans package. Tips: SAWS is focused on providing a quality product in a timely fashion and we are often asked about ways to speed the USA process along. The single greatest factor in the smooth processing of USA s and Plats & Plans requests is an accurate and complete package, prompt review and response upon receipt of the draft USA, and ensuring your developer client is in agreement with SAWS requirement infrastructure in the USA. As part of that same concept, the value of a good location map with accurate boundary lines cannot be overstated. Also, consistent use of the same project name to refer to the tract is essential in avoiding confusion and delays. 12
APPENDIX To aid consulting engineers in preparing USA Requests as well as in estimating Equivalent Dwelling Units (EDU s) requirements and impact fees the following pages include: A. Utility Service Agreement Requirements B. Counter Services Forms C. TX DOT UIR D. SAWS Easements E. Impact Fee Maps and Tables F. Directions to SAWS HQ and Location Map Also included is a map to SAWS Headquarter, Customer Service building, where staff can assist you with your requests. You may also find additional useful information and forms in the Business Center Developer Resources Sections of the www.saws.org website. A. A Utility Service Agreement (USA) may be required if the Tract: 1. Is over or involved with Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone (EARZ) or Contributing Zone. 2. Is within the Camp Bullis Awareness Zone. 3. Is over 50 acres. 4. Involves SAWS reimbursing the developer to oversize water or wastewater facilities. 5. Is outside SAWS Certificate of Convenience and Necessity (CCN). 6. Requires over 50 Equivalent Dwelling Units. 7. Requires a main extension of 300 linear feet or more. 8. Involves impact fee credits. 9. Involves pro-rata refund. 10. Involves phased development. 11. Involves special considerations for a USA as deemed necessary by SAWS. Minimum submittal Requirements to Request a USA: 1. Cover Sheet clearly stating USA Request and the Project Name 2. Engineering Report a. Project Name: Consistent use of this name in communications with SAWS will be very important to avoid confusion and delays. Please use a project name that does not begin with numbers. b. Consultant Engineer s name, address, and contact person with email address. c. Developer s name, address, and contact person (who will be the signer of the USA document). d. Location map showing site location, with tract boundaries clearly outlined e. Site map with elevation contours. f. Total Acreage. g. Projected Flow stated in Equivalent Dwelling Units (EDU s). 13
h. Statement of fire flow required (Average House< 3600 ft^2= 1000 gpm, 3600 ft^2 = 1500 gpm, commercial = 2000 gpm. i. Proposed source of service (point(s) of connection, size of main, slope). j. Total linear feet of on-site and/or off-site mains. 3. Proof of ownership such as a warranty deed, contract for purchase, or earnest money contract. 4. Legal description of tract. Additional Information that May be required: Master Plan (existing or proposed). Hydraulic Model and/or Fire Flow Test (or sewer analysis in the case of wastewater). Number of acres & EDU s as part of an existing water commitment and/or wastewater contract. Computer modeling for subdivisions: where pressure is not within regulations; greater than 125 EDU s with a single feed main; served or bounded by different service levels; or large tracts. Purveyor letter from other water/wastewater providers if some portion of service to the tract will be from entities other than SAWS. For example, letter from Cibolo Creek Municipal Authority (CCMA) approving treatment of flows (if in CCMA s jurisdiction). All subdivisions greater than 125 EDU s Must have or make provisions for a dual feed system. If a dual system is not possible, provide engineering documentation, computer modeling, and certification for SAWS review and approval of a single feed system. SAWS Board Approval will be required for USA s for tracts: Outside SAWS Certificate of Convenience and Necessity (CCN). For which SAWS will provide oversize reimbursement. Estimated Time to Issue USA s Once SAWS Receives a Complete USA Submittal Draft USA s issued: 30 calendar days. Final USA completed: 90 calendar days. Additional time may be required for complex areas (such as multiple service levels, existing pressure or service issues, requiring production facilities, etc.). SAWS will accept plat & plan packages once a draft USA is issued. Plat & plan approval is conditionally based on final approval of the USA. 14
B. Counter Services Forms 15
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C. TXDOT -UIR- Permit All utility installation requests for water and sewer improvements within the Texas Department of Transportation Right-of-Way must be submitted through the TX DOT Utility Installation Review (UIR) system online. The following information is needed in order to set up a UIR user account for SAWS projects: First Name: Last Name: Title: (optional) Engineering Firm name and mailing address: Phone Number: Mobile Number: (optional) Fax Number: (optional) Email address: Logon ID: Note: A system generated password will be sent to the user. Please submit the above information to bradford.regnier@saws.org, david.garcia2@saws.org, or to tracey.lehmann@saws.org. Training and any other form of assistance on the UIR system will be made available at the prospective user's request. Once UIR account is created, the applicant can then apply for a TX DOT permit. The applicant will need to fill out the first four steps of this permit through the UIR. They will then need to submit the Permit number to SAWS so the request/application can be reviewed, accepted and completed. The steps are listed below: 1. Request Checklist 2. Basic Information 3. Upload of design files for approval 4. Location Information 5. View Summary 6. Submit Request D. SAWS Water Easements To get started on a SAWS water easement, the contractor/engineer will need to provide the following information to SAWS Counter Services so that we may set up a Parcel ID. 7. Name of project 8. Job Number ( If applicable) 9. Type of Easement (Permanent water, etc.) 10. Easement Information (Size, dimension, area) 11. Legal Description 18
12. Owner of Property Once we have this information we will submit the request to grant a parcel id for the project. Once the parcel ID is attained, the following document will need to be submitted to the SAWS Corporate Real Estate Department. 19
E. Impact Fee Maps and Tables 20
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F. Directions to SAWS HQ and Location Map 24